Singletree-coupling.



v A. M. BAnKsn.

SINGLETREE CDUPLING.

(Applicaton' led Har. 17, 1900.)

Patentedlluly l0, |900.

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheqt l,

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No. 653,542. l Patented July I0, |900.

A. M. BARKEB.

SINGLETBEE couPLma.

(Application med Mar. 17, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WITNESS/5S /N VENTO/ www ' @ggf/] By y W A TOHNEYS UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE. I

AMOS M. BARKER, OF BLOOMINGTON, NEBRASKA.

SINGLETREE-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 653, 5.42, dated July10, 1900. Application iiled March 17, 1900. Serial No. 9,052. (Nomodel.)

To @ZZ wwm/ t may concern:

Be it known that I, AMOs M. BARKER, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Bloomington, in the county of Franklin and State ofNebraska, have invented a new and Improved Singletree-Coupling, of whichthe followingis afull,clear,and exact description. The purpose of theinvention is to provide an improved means for attaching singletrees to adoubletree, which means will permit aV more extended range'of movementof the singletreesthan is at present attainable and the pivotalconnection between the singletrees and doubletree rendered more durable,and the sin gletrees may be capable of being raised and lowered relativeto the doubletree, if desired.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the gures.

Figure 1 is a pla-n view of a pole provided with the improvedsingletrees. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the clevis orpivotal portion of a singletree, showing the pivot-al and locking devicetherefor in side elevation, the view being drawn on an enlarged scaleand the doubletree appearing in section. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectionthrough the singletree, the doubletree, and the pivotal and lockingdevice adapted for connecting the singletrees and doubletree, the viewbeing on a smaller scale than in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a transversesection through the singletree, illustrating a clip or hook and acockeye for the trace, through which the clip or hook is passed, thecockeye being in section.

A represents a pole used in connection with a double team; B, adoubletree pivoted in any suitable or approved manner to the pole. Crepresents sin gletrees having pivotal engagement with the doubletree,and' D represents the neck-yoke, which is connected directly with thepole A in the customary manner- A clip or hook 22 is located at each endof each singletree C, and these clips or hooks are secured to thesingletrees by bolts 23 or their equivalents. Each bolt and hook isprovided with two upwardly-extending prongs 24: and 25.

the rear prongs 25 are given an upward and rearward inclination to adecided extent,

hooks are adapted to receive the cockeye 26 of the traces 27, and whenthe cockeyes are in place on the clips or hooks of the singletrees theyare not liable to be accidentally displaced, but may be conveniently andexpeditiously engaged with the ,clips or hooks or disengaged therefrom.

A particular forrn of coupling F is employed to connect the singletreesto the doubletree, and this improved form of coupling is illustrated indetail in Figs. 2 and 3, wherein it will be observed that a wear-plate28 is secured upon the upper face of the doubletree at that point wherethe singletrees are to be pivotally connected with it. These wear-platesare provided with an inner annular iiange and an outer annular iiange,forming an annular sunken track 29, and each wear-plate 28 is alsoprovided with a central opening. A mating wear-plate 30 is provided foreach of the lower Wear-plates 28, and each upper or mating wear-plate 30is provided with an annular iiange 3l, adapted to travel in the sunkentrack 29 of the lower wear-plate, and each upper wear-plate 30 is alsoprovided with a hub 32, which extends into the central opening of thelower Wear-plate 2S. Bolts 33 are passed through the doubletree andthrough the central portion of the pairs of wear-plates 28 and30,*turning loosely therein, and each bolt is preferably provided withan enlarged upper portion 34., whereby shoulders 35 are formed on thebolts above the wear-plates and immediately above one leaf 36 of a hingeG, the other leaf 37 of the hinge being firmly secured to one face of asingletree, which face is the front face of the said singletree when thesaid tree is in proper position on the doubletree. It will be understoodthat a hinge G is provided for each cou plingF and for each singletreeC.

A link 38 is pivoted to an extension from the leaf 37 of each hingeattached to a singletree, and the said link is adapted to extend Theprongs 25 are the rear prongs and? `are longer than the forward prongs24, and

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over the head 34L of the bolt 33 of a coupling and to be engaged by thehead 39 of a lever 40, one of said levers bein g hinged to the upperportion of each bolt 33, and the head 39 of each lever 40 is providedwith an undercut recess adapted to receive the free end of the link38,that the lever is intended to control. When the levers 40 extenddownward, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the singletrees are carried to aposition at such a distance above the doubletree that the singletreeswill have perfect freedom of movement, and the singletrees are held insuch position by the links 38, it being understood that the upperwear-plate 30 of each coupling which is connected with a singletree isfree to turn onits matinglower wearplate carried by the doubletree. Whenthe levers 40 are carried upward, the links 38 may be disconnected fromtheir heads and the singletrees may be dropped down to a position closeto and in front of the doubletree, thus occupying but little space.

The hinge connection between the doubletree and the singletrees adds tothe durability, strength, and economy of both, dispensesy with all extrabolts, and enables the singletreos to turn freely on the doubletree,thereby allowing free play by the motion of the horses without strain ofany part connected with the harness. In fact, the singletrees can beturned half-way around, enabling a passing vehicle tocome very close toa vehicle thus equipped without danger of interference.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1". A doubletree, singletrees pivoted on thedoubletree, the singletrees having a hinged connection with thedoubletree through their pivoted sections, links connected with saidsingletrees, and lock -levers engaging said links for locking thesingletrecs at an elevation above the doubletree.

2. A doubletree, interlocking wear-platesadapted to turn one upon theother, a pivotpin passed through the said wear-plates, a

hinge, a leaf of which is connected with the upper wear-plate, asingletree attached to the other leaf of the said hinge, and means forlocking the singletree at an elevation above the doubletree, the lowerwear-plate being secured to the doubletree.

3. The combination, with a doubletree, a Wear-plate secured thereto, apivot-pin passed through the doubletree and through the said wear-plate,and a lock-lever carried by the upper end of said pivot-pin, of an upperwearplate mounted to turn upon the lower wearplate and around thepivot-pin, a hinge, a leaf of which is secured to the upper Wearplate, asingletree secured to the other leaf of the hinge, and a link connectedwith said singletree and arranged to pass rearwardly from the same to anengagement with said lock-lever, as set forth.

4. A doubletree, a singletree, a hinge having one leaf secured to thesingletree, a pivot pin or bolt passed through the doubletree andthrough the other leaf of the hinge and projecting above the same, alocking-lever carried at the upper end of the pivot-pin, anda linkcarried by the singletree and adapted to be engaged by the lever to holdthe singletree at an elevation above the doubletree.

5. The combination, with a doubletree, a singletree, a hinge having oneleaf secured to the singletree and apivot pin or bolt extending throughthe doubletree and through the other leaf of the hinge, the said leafbeing arranged to turn on the doubletree, the said pivot pin-or bolthaving an enlarged upper portion forming shoulders above the said leafof the hinge, of a link carried by the hinge-leaf secured to thesingletree and adapted to extend over the upper end of the pivotpin, anda lever pivoted to the upper portion of the pivot-pin and having a headprovided with an undercut recess adapted tol receive the free end of thelink, substantially as described.

6. A singletree provided with hooks or clip, at its ends said hooks orclips each comprising a body portion secured to the singletrees and twospaced members which extend upward from the body at opposite sidesy ofthe end of the singletree, the rear member of each clip or hook beinglonger than the forward member and havingan upward and rearwardinclination, while theforward members ofthe clips or hooks are given aslight forward and upward inclination for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specifi-cation in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

AMOS' M. BARKER.

Witnesses:

HARRISON WHrrMoRn, GEORGE BUCK, Sr.

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